Hike in the Footsteps of Alex Forman

The recently dedicated and renovated Alex Forman Trail runs 1.7 miles from the Sky Oaks Ranger Station to Lake Lagunitas in the Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD) reservoir lands. Alex Forman was a former board member for the MMWD and nature lover who died recently. At the dedication, his wife read a ode to Alex, printed below. The poem's inspirational words set the tone for hiking this beautiful trail.

We started at the parking area at Sky Oaks Area (day use pass required) and crossed the road to catch the Alex Forman trail that snakes along the eastern side of Sky Oaks Road to Lake Lagunitas. The Alex Forman memorial bench rests a few yards to the south of the trail entry point and sits on a small knoll overlooking a peaceful wooded valley. The singletrack has been here for years, but recent renovations and trailwork have improved the continuity of the trail. The trail is up and down and rocky. Its run through the woods takes your mind quickly away from the asphalt road it parallels and into the interesting and diverse landscape.

We followed the trail and took it across the Sky Oaks Road to head over a small peninsula of Bon Tempe Lake to end near the pipes and valves that mark the water collection point for the Bon Tempe Filter Plant. From there, a left onto a Lake View Protection Fire Road carried us out to the intersection of Sky Oaks Road and Fish Grade. Across Sky Oaks Road at the Fish Grade junction is the start of Pumpkin Ridge Trail. Pumpkin Ridge Trail, according to Barry Spitz' Tamalpais Trails book, is named by a former trail builder for his wife "Punkin." The trail is a singletrack about three-quarter of a mile long. The trail runs along the crest of Pumpkin Ridge through Madrone woodlands. There are nice picnic spots along the way. This time of year the bird life is amazing. We saw flickers, bush tits, and warblers along the way.

Near the end the trail Ys, each alternate takes you back to the Alex
Forman trail to form a lollipop loop hike. See the Alex Forman poem below.

This is a hike from the book "Hiking Marin: 141 Great Hikes in Marin County." Click here to go the Marin Trails website, where you can find more details about the book, which contains this hike and 140 more great hikes around Marin County.

A Blessing for All Who Walk the Alex Forman Trail

May you walk this trail with open eyes and hearts
not looking for anything,
yet spotting the Cooper¹s Hawk circling overhead,
the polished deer bone below, the jackrabbit in the tall grass.

May you walk this trail in playful conversation
and profound dialogue, with cosmic awareness
and in layered silence.

May you bring barking dogs and skipping children,
babies in backpacks, teenagers, lovers, and friends.

May you feel soft earth and jagged rocks beneath your feet,
cool shade, gentle rain and filtered sunlight on your skin.

May you marvel at the beauty of the live oaks¹ twisted limbs,
the smooth bark of the madrone, and the elegant grace
of the towering redwoods.

May you bring apples and almonds, dark chocolate and tangerines,
a water bottle, a thermos of hot ginger tea.

But most of all, may you bring your whole, curious self,
the way Alex would,
and walk this trail in wonder, grateful to be here,
in this moment, right now.

Lauren Vanett (Alex Forman's wife)
Jan. 9, 2010